Drop-on-demand print head maintenance in a card personalization system

Abstract

Techniques are described for maintaining a DOD print head in a print mechanism of a card or passport personalization system, where the DOD print head prints using ink that is difficult to handle and dispose of in an unaltered form of the ink. A maintenance ejection of waste ink is performed. The waste ink is then altered, for example by curing in the case of a radiation curable ink, while the waste ink is within the card or passport personalization system. This makes the waste ink easier to handle and dispose of.

1 . A method of maintaining a drop-on-demand print head in a print mechanism of a card or passport personalization system, comprising:
 within the card or passport personalization system, conducting a maintenance ejection of waste radiation curable ink from the drop-on-demand print head;   within the card or passport personalization system, applying radiation to the ejected waste radiation curable ink to cure the ejected radiation curable ink;   after the maintenance ejection, using the print mechanism to print an image on a card or a passport with radiation curable ink.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 in the maintenance rejection, ejecting the waste radiation curable ink from the drop-on-demand print head onto a waste ink receiver.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the waste ink receiver comprises a card-shaped substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , after printing the image on the card or the passport and prior to printing an image on another card or another passport, conducting another maintenance ejection of additional waste radiation curable ink from the drop-on-demand print head; and
 within the card or passport personalization system, applying radiation to the ejected additional waste radiation curable ink to cure the ejected additional waste radiation curable ink.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an amount of the waste radiation curable ink ejected in the maintenance ejection is greater than an amount of the radiation curable ink used to print the image. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying radiation comprises applying ultraviolet radiation to the ejected waste radiation curable ink to cure the ejected waste radiation curable ink. 
     
     
         7 . A method of maintaining a drop-on-demand print head in a print mechanism of a card or passport personalization system, comprising:
 within the card or passport personalization system, conducting a maintenance ejection of waste curable ink from the drop-on-demand print head onto a waste ink receiver;   within the card or passport personalization system, curing the ejected waste curable ink;   thereafter using the print mechanism to print on a card or a passport with curable ink;   wherein an amount of the waste curable ink ejected in the maintenance ejection is greater than an amount of the curable ink used to print on the card or the passport.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the waste ink receiver comprises a card-shaped substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , after printing on the card or the passport and prior to printing on another card or another passport, conducting another maintenance ejection of additional waste curable ink from the drop-on-demand print head; and
 within the card or passport personalization system, curing the ejected additional waste curable ink.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein curing the ejected waste curable ink comprises applying ultraviolet radiation to the ejected waste curable ink to cure the ejected waste curable ink. 
     
     
         11 . A method of maintaining a drop-on-demand print head in a print mechanism of a card or passport personalization system, comprising:
 within the card or passport personalization system, conducting a maintenance ejection of waste ink from the drop-on-demand print head onto a waste ink receiver;   within the card or passport personalization system, altering the ejected waste ink;   thereafter using the print mechanism to print on a card or a passport with ink.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 in the maintenance rejection, ejecting the waste ink from the drop-on-demand print head onto a waste ink receiver.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the waste ink receiver comprises a card-shaped substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , after printing on the card or the passport and prior to printing on another card or another passport, conducting another maintenance ejection of additional waste ink from the drop-on-demand print head; and
 within the card or passport personalization system, altering the ejected additional waste ink.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein an amount of the waste ink ejected in the maintenance ejection is greater than an amount of the ink used to print on the card or the passport. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein altering the ejected waste ink comprises applying ultraviolet radiation to the ejected waste ink to cure the ejected waste ink.